During an interaction with CMs of 6 states over the COVID situation on Friday PM Modi said, "The trend of increase in cases in Maharashtra and Kerala is a cause of concern. Corona is not over, pictures of post unlocking behaviour is worrisome."
In this regard, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come up with a comprehensive policy at the national level to stop the crowds in various places due to religious, social reasons as well as political events and agitations. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray informed about the concrete steps taken by Maharashtra to combat the second wave of Covid and the planning for the third possible wave in a virtual meeting organized today. The Chief Minister was speaking at a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Chief Ministers of six states in the country.
Although the number of patients and death rate in Maharashtra is declining, it needs to be further reduced. We are also expediting the vaccination of front line workers and reducing the rate of wastage of vaccines, he said. Thanking the Prime Minister for guiding the state from time to time in the Corona situation, the Chief Minister said that cases due to second wave is slowly declining, while the number of patients is declining but not completely reduced. Not only in Maharashtra, but everywhere, people are rushing out of their houses and crowding at public places. Crowds are starting to gather for religious, political reasons. The state is trying to stop this, but even at the central level, it seems that we have to come up with some comprehensive policy.
Assuring that Maharashtra is ready to deal with the third possible wave of corona and that measures are being taken to keep the industry afloat, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the state should get maximum doses of vaccines, control the prices of essential medicines and help set up Centers of Excellence for post-covid treatment, requeted the CM.
"We have created a conducive environment in the state by organizing competitions for corona-free villages," he said. He also said that a task force has been formed to prevent covid in children.
The Chief Minister said that considering the amount given by the Center, in the third wave, the state would need about 4,000 metric tonnes of oxygen per day. We can produce 2,000 metric tons. The remaining 2,000 metric tons of oxygen would be of great help only if it came from a nearby state. The Center should help Maharashtra to get LMO from Bhilai, Jamnagar, Bellary Steel Plant. He said that 530 PSA oxygen plants are being set up in every district of the state and district wise oxygen management planning has been done.
Monoclonal antibodies are currently effective in treatment but cost between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 per dose. Even if 50,000 patients are asked to give the drug in the third wave, it will cost Rs 300 crore. This was also stated by the Chief Minister in the meeting.